So far, 2006 has been a year mostly in love with the past. Major buzz bands such as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are still in the process of attempting to update the wiry post-punk and early college rock of the 1970s and ’80s, and indie kids all over the world have eaten this trend up with a silver spoon. Yet, oddly, one of the best albums of this year, The Gossip’s Standing in the Way of Control, has been ignored amidst all …

You can always hear an electronic music fan from a mile away. Some speak louder, due to years of gyrating near giant speakers…or perhaps it’s all of that dance floor confetti still stuck inside their ear. Scenester electronic music fans can often be heard proclaiming their authenticity (“I’m wearing my Peaches merkin today!”). And then there are the electronic music fans who seem to be trapped inside of a video game: they drive incredibly fast to the sound of glitches and robot voices. …

Technology is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? There was a time, not all that long ago, when we were at the mercy of television producers and progammers. They told us what we were allowed to see, and when we were allowed to see it. With the explosion of cable channels, however, and the creation of syndication, it became easier to find the type of show you wanted to see, at a time more convenient for you – just ask any Law and Order fan. …

Ah, samplers: the mixtapes of the business world. Take a group of albums, pluck a few highlights, then throw them all on a disc in the hope that John Q. Public will get interested enough to buy your stuff. A lot of labels release small samplers with minimal packaging and tracks to generate hype; it’s a good way to get people to hear your music and learn what your label’s all about. All Saints is a lot like that, but they …